Ink Painting In China - Essay Example

INK PAINTING IN CHINA China is known for its rich history in paintings, as well as, the embraced art forms. There are numerous characteristics in Chinese ink paintings that were used in the traditional mode of painting. Ink paintings in China are based on genres and themes that were acceptable in the traditional Chinese cultures. However, western educated Chinese artists changed these aspects by introducing ink paintings after returning to China. Contrary to the traditional painting in China, ink painting focused more on bringing out more vivid aspects of nature. These artists changed a lot of things, and there is no discussion of modern Chinese art can be completed without discussing Xu Beihong’s work and its influence on ink painting. Xu Beihong (195-1953) had the skill to combine modern and ancient techniques in accomplishing his best work. His works amalgamated the impressionistic utilization of color and light coupled with keen adherence to shape and structure. Xu Beihong’s works will, therefore, assist in the critical understanding of Chines ink art and why or how the western educated Chinese adapted ink painting after returning to their country, as well as, the differences between these works and traditional ink art. It was Xu Beihong’s belief that the Chinese art should be modernized by combining western techniques. His advocacy on continued ink painting amalgamated with western aspects like deception and perspective of shadow and light showed the need for change in China’s painting techniques1. Xu Beihong’s new art work showed how enhancement in ink painting brought a personal touch in art work. It was imperative to change the traditional aspects of Ink painting which showcased different styles. For instance, any Chinese painting starts with a brush stroke that almost looked like calligraphy. This did not give the artwork a realistic feeling; instead it gave an ideology of a person instead of reproduction of the person. This I depicted in different paintings especially the ‘1994 Galloping Horse’. 1944 Galloping Horse. Retrieved from http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/394.1988/ The Galloping hoarse shows how Beihong utilized just more than a brush and paint to produce the impeccable art. This showed his prodigious way of painting and embracing new styles. By infusing the famous Chinese brush-work, he shows impressive incorporation of the western artistic aspects by utilizing shade and light. The painting shows the imperativeness of using modern ways of using ink since the hoarse depicts movement and evokes some form of emotion. The light is used to show the horse muscles that are strained while the horse is jumping. There is excitement in the painting because the horse tails seems to show movement2. By using up strokes painting styles, the shadow clearly shows some form of upward movement. This is a personal touch aspect that is well depicted in the painting an aspect that is borrowed from the western painting aesthetics. The horse therefore, shows an animal that is full of energy as well as expressing freedom. In this case, Beihong was trying to express his joy after China won any battle. According to Beihong’s observation, it was clear that there was a lot of degeneration in the Chinese art world. Artists had degraded into copying other painting which did not bring out the aspect of real life in it. Artists did not appreciate nature and Beihong’s paintings offered a direction towards attaining the solution. Therefore, application of the western scientific methods was introduced whereby, precise and anatomical proportions were combined in the art work. Freehand ink painting was method that was utilized by Beihong. The style used in his paintings showed that there is need to have real emotions evoked in a painting. Artists embraced realism in their paintings while at the same time shunning expressionism and surrealism. Through animals, Beihong was able to express feelings in his paintings3. In the 1941‘Sick Horse’ painting, there is a great depiction of personal feelings and emotions. The main focus is on the tail whereby it is dropping while its head is hanging down. The painting has utilized a great deal of shadow in order to depict how he feels. Most importantly, there is less use of light which clearly shows that there is a feeling of sadness. The work is clearly showing some form of emotion that he was going through. For instance, when he was in Paris, he did not get a chance to assist a lot of artists in China. The sick horse showed his need for help as a student, which he did not get. This made him feel poor, lonely and dejected like a sick horse4. It is important to have all aspects utilized in a painting in order to depict the necessary feelings and emotions. The reason the Chinese artists started utilizing Western styles in their paintings to make sure that they reached a vast clientele base especially in the international market. By realizing traditional methods, the Chinese artists did not have the necessary aspects to communicate effectively through their work by evoking the necessary emotions. The Chinese artists sort to include the western way of painting due to the fact that they needed to show more emotion which was not an aspect that was not traditionally used in the Chinese paintings5. The major differences between the newly adopted ink painting in China and the traditional ink art was is that the traditional Chinese painting were more focused on water based techniques, instead of acrylics or oils. Additionally, the Chinese paintings were traditionally more abstract and stylized, rather than realistic as depicted in the new oil paints. The traditional paintings also focused more on the imperativeness of space and favored landscape paintings to portraits and figure painting. It is evident that in the early days, Chinese artists applied socialist realism compared to the present paintings. It is imperative to note that the traditional Chinese paintings held style and history as a major incorporation of the painting. However, the contemporary artist on the other hand combined the Chinese and Western flair in creating their paintings. By critically, anlysing Xu Beihong’s paintings, it is clear that the Chinese artists incorporated numerous traditional as well as western pain ting styles in order to evoke emotions and incorporate realism in their artwork. Bibliography Otsuka, Ronald and Xu Fanfang. Xu Beihong: Pioneer of Modern Chinese Painting. Denver: Denver Art Museum. 2011. Sullivan, Michael. Art and Artists of Twentieth-Century China. Berkeley, California :University of California Press. 1996. Read More